Fielded Dreams

by Brittany Arreguin

Neptune Beach, California has been through a lot.

They've seen their neighboring city lose a Major League team, and now they've rallied together to bring an independent minor league team to play in the small beach town. One player on that team is Neptune Beach native Corey Ramirez. Corey feels like he's been bouncing off minor league teams since he graduated college, and his enthusiasm for the sport dropped when his team cuts him and he's forced to play in Neptune Beach. Corey knows he's a good player and wants to see himself in the big leagues, but with everyone stoked they're getting a "Hometown Hero," Corey's having a hard time riling everyone up.

In his wallowing, he reunites with high school best friend Lance Fairbanks at the town watering hole. After time catching up, Lance invites him to dinner, where Corey also reunites with Lance's younger sister, Leanne. Leanne, who even though has been dealt more hardships than any twenty-something year old should face, never wants to leave Neptune Beach. So, when Corey makes a backhand comment about wanting to get away, Leanne confronts him in his wallowing and tells him she's determined to make him fall back in love with his hometown.

But as Leanne and Corey spend more time with one another, the sparks that Leanne felt for her brother's best friend return and as much as they want to take the next step, they know that time is limited, and once Corey gets the call, will Leanne and Cory figure out a plan to stay true to how they feel, even if their lives will pull them apart?ng soon!

Genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Cultural

319 pages, ebook

Published December 6, 2024

About the author

Brittany Arreguin is a mixed-Asian romance author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a full time Events Coordinator & reads a copious amounts of romance novels over the course of the year. She lives with her husband and cats, Princess Peach & Boo, and loves to frequent breweries and play video games when she's not reading or writing.

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I struggled to make it through this book because of all the missing words in sentences, the duplication of paragraphs, contradictory statements, inconsistent details (Corey’s age), and especially all the wrong things written about baseball. I was hopeful that when the book started out with a letter from the author saying how she grew up around baseball and it was such a huge part of her life that we would get to read a great story.
Sadly, every time there was anything baseball related it was infuriating to read. I could go into all the incorrect ways the author portrayed the game, but the WORST thing that almost made me stop reading, was when Corey had a scout from San Diego come see him play and then he said he was going to Dodger stadium to meet with him the next day. Poor Corey would’ve missed out on his dream because he went to the wrong city and stadium! I also didn’t like that the Dodgers and Giants were mentioned, but why were the Padres only referred to as San Diego and the A’s as the team who left??
The romance and spicy scenes were cringeworthy as was the entire book. It was extremely evident that no proofreading was done prior to publishing this and I do not recommend reading this book, it had potential and sorely missed the mark.

[Cátia Chambel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Brittany and Authors PR for the ARC!

I really wanted to love this, I really did. Alas, I did not. The pace of the story was all over the place, the romance appeared out of nowhere and it was all very rushed which did not allow to connect with the characters. I was cringing like for most part of this book as well, so that’s that.

[frombooktoaesthetic · Rating 4 out of 5]

fielded dreams by @
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
tropes: sports romance, multicultural romance, one bed, small town, brother’s best friend, friends with benefits

being from the bay area made reading this so much more special as it was so fun to recognize all the references and made feel so immersed in the book. it equally made it more relatable as a daughter of immigrants who understood the family dynamics within the story.

leanne fairbanks is a chef who is a big dreamer but has the pressure of not wanting to disappoint her parents but also feeling like they’re put in a box for focusing on having a food truck that primarily serves asian food.

enter corey ramirez who has jumped from place to place with dreams of making it as professional baseball player. when he returns to his small town to play for a local team, he doesn’t expect to reunite with leanne and have her change his perspective on neptune beach.

you have a big dreamer who’s afraid of taking the next step while protecting her heart and someone who is willing to drop everything if it means moving to achieve his dream. how will that end up?

this book was genuinely such a fun read. the spice? *whew*

the only thing that sometimes felt off was the pacing as it went from too fast to too slow but it didn’t affect the reading experience.

thank you to the author and publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions ♥️

[Moo · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.
It was so boring and annoying I litterally didn't care for anything. How can you write 60 pages where NOTHING happens?
I realise why it's free cos it's more entertaining watching Donald Trump apply his self tan cos it would probably give me more a reaction.
Plus, has this women held an actual conversation with anyone EVER? Every time a character opened their mouth it felt so unrealistic the book was just a book and not a movie I was watching.
This book was definitely not done either, felt like I was reading draft one with the ammount of sentences that made no sense AND IT FELT LIKE HALF THE STORY WAS MISSING.
She skipped over anything that could possibly be fun and only wrote the boring parts of the story.
If you want a book to simulate how it feels to be stuck in traffic inside a tunnel, this is the book for you. If not, don't do this to yourself.

[Sara ⭐ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf

[Emma Clouten · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Tropes:
* Sports Romance
* Small Town
* Brothers best friend
* Friends with benefits

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish i am a sucker for a good sports romance book.
Corey the MMC is a professional baseball player who returns to play for his home town but he does not want to stay around his home town forever. He Reunites with his best friend and who else Leanne his best friends sister. Corey has a heart of gold, he would drop anything even baseball for the people he cares about if needed.

Leanne The FMC is a very talented chef who has big goals and dreams, i loved her personality she gave off boss girl energy she loves her family and brother. Leanne did not expect to see her child hood crush and have all them feelings again for him. Leanne's and corey's story line was spicy but not to spicy i loved there dynamic.

Does Leanne Change Corey s mind about staying in the small town or will Corey change Leanne's mind about leaving the small town?

[Sa_rr_ita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an arc from NetGalley. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy for review!

There were a few aspects of this book that I loved and thought were really cute and a few I just couldn’t get past.

Being from Northern California, I got a lot of nostalgia reading about Bay Area baseball and references to the A’s moving cities. I also loved hearing about Leanne’s culture through cooking and seeing how passionate she was about bringing that into her business and sharing it with her community.

The thing I couldn’t really get past was the unnatural sounding dialogue and internal monologue. I felt like I couldn’t really get to know the characters because their dialogue was so flat and lacking personality.

I think if the dialogue was improved this could be a really beautiful story. You can tell the author really loves her heritage and the Bay Area and I loved that!

[Kate Laycoax · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some aspects of this book that I really loved, and others that I feel missed the mark. Brittany Arreguin captures the charm of small-town life and the excitement of sports romance and the brother's best friend trope in Fielded Dreams. Set in Neptune Beach, California, the story blends the struggles of chasing dreams with the warmth of rekindled connections. Corey Ramirez's journey from disillusionment to rediscovering his passion, spurred on by Leanne Fairbanks' determination, makes for an engaging premise.

While the book offers a fun and heartfelt storyline, there are areas where it falls short. The pacing occasionally felt uneven, and the writing could have been more polished to truly elevate the emotional beats and character arcs. I felt the writing was underdeveloped and not as well done as it could have been. However, the core idea—a "hometown hero" grappling with self-doubt and a romance with his best friend's sister—is strong and carries the narrative.

Leanne's resilience and optimism contrast well with Corey's internal struggles, making their chemistry believable and heartwarming. The small-town atmosphere adds charm, but the plot could have benefited from deeper exploration of the characters' emotions and stakes.

Overall, Fielded Dreams delivers a feel good read with a solid premise. While not without flaws, it's an enjoyable story that captures the spirit of love, friendship, and finding your place.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5/5)

Thank you to NetGalley, Brittany Arreguin, and Good Fortune Books for the eARC of this book.

[Rachel Shapiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw a book about a baseball player returning to his hometown, moving back in with his parents, and reconnecting with his childhood best friend and her now-grown-up little sister, I was intrigued. I mean, what’s not to love about a mix of small-town nostalgia, family dynamics, and a touch of romance?

The storyline between the two main characters was sweet, and I especially loved the warmth and chaos of Leanne’s family—they were such a delight. Corey’s side of the story, though, felt like it needed a little more oomph. Why does he hate his hometown so much? I needed more there to really feel his inner conflict.

Oh, and I have to mention the geographical hiccup. The author talked about a baseball game in LA, then suddenly had the team visiting San Diego’s stadium… except they were at Dodger Stadium, not Petco Park. If you’re a baseball fan, or if you’re from either area like I am (born and raised in LA and a proud San Diego college grad), this little slip-up will definitely catch your eye!

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read with a cute ending, but I wish the pacing hadn’t felt so rushed. The big conflict could’ve been, well, bigger and more dramatic to really hit home. But if you’re in the mood for a lighthearted romance with a touch of hometown charm, this one fits the bill!

Thank you NetGalley and Good Fortune Books LLC for my copy for Fielded Dreams in exchange for my honest review.

[Sunny D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baseball Romances are definitely climbing up in my rankings this year and Fielded Dreams has absolutely added to that. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book by Brittany! I loved the writing, I love the perspective and I felt like the story was very inspiring because of the real problems the main characters struggled with.

I loved Corey and Leanne. They both felt like real people as they battled with their personal issues. I definitely resonated with Corey when it came to wanting to reach beyond your dreams and not living in the same place you grew up. I absolutely understood why he felt that way at first. But I loved that Leanne wanted to find a way to show him that their hometown was actually a magical place. It was beautiful to see. He also was just so sweet to her. I literally couldn’t stop reading

Leanne is such a strong and powerful character. She’s also very ambitious and I felt inspired by her. She had a dream to and that just made me want to root for her. I loved her power. I loved her mind. I just felt very connected to her because of how much she was a dreamer.

Both of them were just so freaking cute. They very much tried to fight it but as usual love conquered. Thank you Brittany and Author PR for this lovely read.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Corey's character. I related to him a lot with him feeling like he's not at the place he wanted to be in life by a certain age. I appreciated him being okay with that and letting life take its course. I also really enjoyed the feelings that come with coming home to your hometown. That feeling like you need to prove yourself. Like things are exactly the same but different all at the same time.

Brother's best friend is one of my favorite tropes, so I loved that aspect of this book. I also ate up how Corey comforted Leanna when she was upset. He also really supported her and her business from the beginning, even before he really got to know her again after not seeing her for years. He was a sweet hero, and Leanna was a funny and relatable heroine.

All this being said, I found it to be a little insta love. Give me more yearning, angst, and pining. They open up to each other really quickly, and I would've liked to see them work for it a little more. I also felt like the steamy scenes were too short, which made them feel rushed. They could be drawn out more so we as readers can really feel their connection both emotionally and physically.

Thanks you NetGalley and Good Fortune Books LLC for sending this book to review. All opinions are my own.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free as an ARC in turn for my honest review. thank you to brittany arreguin and athors.pr for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Leanne🥘
she runs The Dragon's Belly, a food truck, and cooks during the baseball games they have. she is Lance's little sister. she ends up meeting her childhood crush, Corey again, and falls for him once again.

her parents are pretty protective of her after her last relationship ended in a disaster. she is trying to guard her feelings and heart and is afraid to fall for someone again.

Corey ⚾️
he comes back to his hometown to play for their home baseball team. he soon runs into his old best friend, Lance, and they immediately pick up where they left off. he also ends up falling for his best friend's sister, Leanne.

their relationship blossoms pretty quickly, and they eventually fall for one another. I loved the overall views and atmosphere throughout the book, and I loved the trips they both went on. I believe this is what helped their relationship become stronger.


tropes:
- brother's best friend
- baseball player
- sports romance
- secret dating
- small-town romance

[Josie Erdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute! I loved the whole brothers best friend vibe. It’s the ultimate love story where they keep it a secret and will so anything to be together. I really enjoyed the story line of Corey coming back to his hometown and trying to figure out how to manage the feelings which come with doing so. Out of the whole book, I related most to Leanne and her fear of telling her family her plans, as someone who has moved hundreds of miles away from all they have ever known. It was very well written, as well as well executed, and I enjoyed the glimpse Into the team mates and their personalities as well. I would absolutely recommend this to friends, whether they love baseball or not. I’m not a huge baseball person and I loved it! I also love to support authors of all cultures and backgrounds and truly enjoyed the Asian touches through the book

Thanks to the publisher, Good Fortune books and the author, Brittany Arreguin for allowing me to read this book In exchange for my honest review!

[Shreya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fielded Dreams is a sweet and spicy sports romance following Corey and Leanne as they go on a journey of love and self-reflection. This is my first time reading any book from Brittany Arreguin and I'm so grateful to have been given the opportunity!

Fielded Dreams has a good premise, emotion-evoking characters, and well-described scenes! I'm not usually one to read sports romances but this book has made me consider getting more of them! The brother's best friend trope is also one of my favorites, which I think was well executed!

However, I felt like the pacing was a bit choppy. In some places, it went fast, and in others, it went slow, especially when it came to observing the characters' emotions. I think we got the gist of who Leanne and Corey were, but I didn't quite get a good read on them, apart from understanding the grumpy/sunshine dynamic that they had. I think the pacing tied into the development, so the quick scenes that began to explore the depths of their personalities can be drawn out a bit more.

Thank you to authors pr and Brittany Arreguin for this ARC!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks for the chance to read this in exchange for a review.
Fielded Dreams is about Leanne and Corey reconnecting after many years apart, where before he was her brother's best friend.
This was the first baseball romance I have read, and I enjoyed it. The way Brittany talks about the food Leanne cooked made me feel incredibly hungry.
The book does give you a heads up of which chapters have some saucy scenes in, and honestly I preferred the story without the scenes. They felt a little awkward and the writing was very statement-based, rather than leaving it to imagination.
I felt the pace at which the book went did change through the book, some moments seemed very rushed, and others had several pages where either of the characters reminisced.
Overall the story was good and I loved the reconnection to the town Corey moved away from. I was pleased with the ending, felt it was the best outcome.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚾Book Review ⚾

I had to really push through reading this book and I've struggled to write a constructive review. The premise of the book was really intriguing, hence why I requested it. However the execution of this plot was rather bland and underdeveloped. It felt like a framework that needed lots more detail. The open door spice scenes that lasted only two paragraphes feels really underdone to me. I also just never felt the tension or angst that the story could have developed. It was like reading the ingredients on the back of a chip packet, you want to know what is there, and it's a complete list, but it's not really an interesting read. This might be your thing though??

Big thanks to Netgalley, Good Fortune Books LLC and Brittany Arreguin for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Tala Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

I want to start off by thanking @brittanyarreguinwrites for my arc!! I loved this book🤍

It was such a good brother’s best friend romance!! Of course, they keep it a secret… 🤫 I thoroughly was intrigued by Corey’s feelings that he’s coping with while returning to his home town. The teammates’ personalities were so fun and added so much to the story!! I was raised in a baseball and softball family, so I loved how Brittany was able to capture the thrill of sports!! Overall, this book was fun and heartfelt. It truly captured the “Hometown Hero” dealing with doubt and romance with his friend’s sister🤍

Tropes:
💙 Brother’s Best Friend
⚾️ Baseball Romance
🧢 Secret Dating
🏡 Small Town Romance

[Csenges.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book because I love the brother's best friend trope. I loved Corey’s character and their story. It was a cute little baseball romance. Although I've never read a baseball romance before and occasionally didn't know much about the game, I think it's incredibly well written and helps you learn more about it. 
Sometimes the pacing was too fast and sometimes too slow, so it kind of made the reading experience more challenging. I found it difficult to relate to the characters, so that also made it harder to read. Apart from that, though, I'm so grateful that I was selected to read this book as an arc. I am so grateful to Brittany Arreguin for the opportunity to read her book. Overall I gave this book 3.75 stars.

[Sukriti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fielded Dreams by Brittany Arreguin is a sweet—but imperfect—sports‑romance set in a small California beach town. The story follows Corey Ramirez, a talented baseball player cut from his team and forced to return home to play for a new local team, and Leanne Fairbanks, the chef‑daughter of a tight‑knit family who never wanted to leave home. Their rekindled connection — from childhood acquaintances to something more — unfolds amid hometown nostalgia and second chances.

The charm lies in its small‑town vibe, multicultural representation, and relatable insecurities. However, some readers found the pacing uneven, character growth shallow, and the ba

[Amber Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very cute and easy read. I really enjoyed how light hearted and fun this was.

There were a few cringe worthy moments which I did not enjoy, however, I think it might be due to the MCs being older. It was really nice to read a romance which had older characters in it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a simple and quick read.

Thank you to netgalley, Brittany Arreguin and the publishers for gifting me this arc ⭐️

[Probably Reading Romance]

DNF at 40 percent. I really wanted to like this, I love the idea behind the book! I love that it was a homecoming and it was baseball. But it was slow going for me to the point where I just didn’t want to keep reading. When it came to the baseball aspect, l didn’t love it. I’m not an expert in baseball at all, but some of the terms didn’t fit and the teams made it a little confusing.

I swear I wanted to love this, but I just didn’t.

[Margin Mavens · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute romance story with a fun brother's best friend trope. The intimate scenes were a little awkward to read, though, which was a distraction. However, there is a list of chapters containing sex scenes in the beginning of the book, so those could be avoided if someone doesn't want to read them.

[erikoreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute story!!

It’s been a while since I read a book in one day, and this was such a quick read. The story is fast paced, and I love the POC rep for both MCs, all the descriptions of the delicious food, and the baseball action. The MCs are so cute together, and I also love the set up for the next book!

Thanks to Authors PR for the eARC!

[Bambi Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC, THANK YOU!

I loved the story line and the small town feels, showing the heritage of the author through her character.

However the dialogue and internal monologue sometimes felt a little off and was difficult to follow

Enjoyed the book in the end and how it panned out. Romance for the win!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had such potential but the characters fell so flat! The writing came across unpolished and the characters ‘interactions’ were so awkward. I think a few rounds of editing were definitely needed. Could’ve been great but wasn’t the one for me!

If you’re wanting a baseball read - try ‘For the Ring’ by Jennifer Hennessy.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sweet, spicy, and funny.

I'm not a fan of baseball, but I truly enjoyed myself reading this book.

This is a contemporary romance, and the main characters are a little bit older

PS thanks for my ARC

[Haney Hayes Promotions · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a perfect fit for readers who adore small-town romances, multicultural love stories, and second-chance friendships, as it weaves a heartwarming tale of rekindled passion, hometown pride, and the complexities of following one's dreams.

[Flique]

Looking forward to this book!

[Emma Fornelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars. It was cute but felt there could have been more details.

[Zeynep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Needed at least two more rounds of professional editing and one from an intimacy coordinator! Couldn't finish.